Suitcase murder accused refute State witness testimony

Twelve-year-old Sbonga Mthembu who was kidnapped and killed along with her mother Smangele Simamane in 2020 and their bodies stuffed into a suitcase and dumped in KwaDabeka. The trial into their murders is currently under way in the Durban High Court. Supplied

Twelve-year-old Sbonga Mthembu who was kidnapped and killed along with her mother Smangele Simamane in 2020 and their bodies stuffed into a suitcase and dumped in KwaDabeka. The trial into their murders is currently under way in the Durban High Court. Supplied

Published May 2, 2023

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Durban – Murder accused Andile Zamisa, 24, has refuted evidence led by two State witnesses that she participated in the 2020 kidnapping and murders of Smangele Simamane and her 12-year-old daughter Sbongakonke Mthembu in Durban.

She is appearing in the Durban High Court, on Tuesday charged along with her mother Slindile Pamela Zamisa.

Mthembu and Simamane are from Newlands East, Durban. Andile has a four-year-old toddler.

Previously the Durban High Court heard evidence led by Zamisa’s (Slindile) stepdaughter Nomfundo True Love Ngcobo that four kettles of boiling water were poured onto Simamane and that she was strangled with a rope and a shovel pressed against her neck.

Ngcobo is currently serving 20 years for her part in the murders after pleading guilty.

Zamisa’s boyfriend, Sthembiso Lamula has also led evidence that Zamisa had phoned him telling him that they had killed the mother and child asking him to help dispose of the bodies.

Simamane and Sbonga’s bodies were found stuffed into a suitcase on Lwandle Drive in KwaDabeka.

According to the testimony already led, a prophecy by a relative fingered Simamane as being involved in the murder of Zamisa’s late husband Bheki Ngcobo.

Andile on Monday continued leading evidence where she denied killing the mother and child.

“It's a lie that we killed Sbonga and her mom, it's a lie that we kidnapped them and disposed of their bodies, I had no grudge against them and I don't believe in witchcraft.”

She told the court that she had no reason to kill the pair adding that the reasons for the alleged murders given in evidence led in court had nothing to do with her.

“Especially when it was mentioned that these people had a hand in Bheki's death, I have no part in that. Ngcobo is not my father so I have nothing to do with this. Ngcobo is Nomfundo's father, not mine. I'm not involved in this, I have never had any interest in knowing who killed her father.

“My mom raised us as a single parent, she raised Nomfundo even though her father had passed on. My mom raised us well we were never short of anything, she tried by all means that we get everything we want, and we attended good schools.

“I don't understand why Nomfundo is doing this. I don't deny she committed the offence because she already pleaded guilty but before she did I was denial. I'm confused as to why she is implicating me in this matter because I had nothing to do with it.”

The trial continues.

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